


And So We Blossom

by lonesomewriter



Category: Free!
Genre: Flowers, Fluff, Gardens & Gardening, M/M, MakoHaru Flower Exchange, Spirits
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-24
Updated: 2019-05-24
Packaged: 2020-03-13 15:04:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18943381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lonesomewriter/pseuds/lonesomewriter
Summary: When Makoto promised to help Sasabe tend his greenhouse over the summer, he would've never guessed just what was in store for him. After planting some blue columbine flowers and watching them bloom, Makoto began to see dreams of a strange, blue eyed boy. But what happens when the boy suddenly appears in the greenhouse one day?!





	And So We Blossom

**Author's Note:**

> This is written for [lunchmoney-lance](https://lunchmoney-lance.tumblr.com/) as a part of the [Makoharu Flower Exchange](https://makoharuflowerexchange.tumblr.com/)!!
> 
> Flower: Blue Columbine
> 
> The Celtics believed in the world of dreams and visions and that columbine flowers were the portal between this world and the spiritual world.

Makoto swiped off the sweat trailing down his forehead and huffed. It was the middle of the summer, and the sun was scorching through the thick glass, turning the entire greenhouse into a boiling sauna. Makoto tried his best to ignore his burning neck and the stickiness of his shirt glued to his sweaty back, and continued on planting the flowers.

He took another seedling from the wrappings, gently pressing it to the soil before carefully covering the roots. These were Makoto’s favourite ones from the batch he had been planting. The picture on the instruction page showed him they would grow to be a beautiful bunch of blue columbines, and he had found himself picturing what the flowerbed would look like once they would be fully grown. 

Once the tiny plant was securely put to its designated place, Makoto dared to close his eyes for a moment. He had been working since early in the morning, and by midday the heat was slowly becoming unbearable. But Makoto had promised to help his old swimming coach with his garden, and he wasn’t one to go back on his words.

“Are you in there, honey?”

Makoto turned around, smiling when he saw his mother standing by the doorway, carrying a tray of lemonade in her hands. Ren was holding onto the hem of her pink skirt, his cheeks flushed from the heat. Makoto smiled at his brother, and stepped closer to ruffle his hair.

“Ran didn’t come?” he asked, taking the glass his mother offered him, downing it in one go. Her mother shook her head, pursing her lips when she saw the state her son was in.

“No, she went to the beach with father,” she placed the tray on top of the pile of huge, empty pots by the door, filling Makoto’s glass to the brim before taking a glance at the greenhouse. There were all sorts of plants in four rows, only the second to last yet to be fully planted. The left wall was covered in vine, and in the air was a humid, slightly muddy scent. A tinge of worry filled her heart, and she asked in concern: “Have you been working all day? Where’s Sasabe?”

Makoto smiled, leaning against the table behind him while taking a deep gulp from the lemonade in his hand. “Ah, he had to go help Amakata-sensei, she had problems with her car. But he said he’d bring food when he comes back!”

His eyes fixed on his brother, who seemed interested at the greenhouse, but was probably too shy to go exploring on his own. Just when Makoto was about to ask him if he’d want to see around, his mother opened her mouth.

“You’re too hard-working,” she chirped, a hint of proudness in her voice. “I’m only worried you’re not taking too many breaks… The heat this summer really is unbearable!”

“It’s okay, I was about to take a break anyways. You don’t have to worry,” Makoto chuckled, putting the empty glass onto the table before taking his brother’s hand. “Come on, Ren, do you want to see what I’ve planted?”

The next hour went by quickly. Makoto patiently answered Ren’s endless questions about the different plants and seeds he saw. When they reached the last row, Makoto asked if Ren wanted to help him plant the rest of the columbines. His heart swelled when he saw his brother’s eyes dilating with excitement as he breathed a quiet: “Can I really?”

By the time they were finished with the seedlings, coach Sasabe had arrived. Makoto’s mother was reading a book under a shade in front of the greenhouse, and came over when she saw the man’s car pulling to the yard.

“I brought pizza! Aah, it’s hot in here! Is the air conditioner not working? Better eat inside then…” Sasabe’s voice shouted from the doorway, and Makoto turned to smile at him. He took Ren and carried him to the house, helping him wash his dirtied hands before going to the dining room.

“I planted a flower!” Ren screeched in joy as he jumped into his mother’s arms. “It was so tiny! Makoto said I can come see them once they grow. Can I really?!”

His mother smiled warmly at him, hugging him with her left arm while using the other to softly comb through his hair. “Of course, darling. And if you want to, you can help father with our garden, too.”

“Really?! That’s the best!” Ren’s eyes widened with awe, and Makoto couldn’t help but smile at the sight. His brother really was the cutest when he got excited about something.

“It’s good I brought enough,” Sasabe chuckled when he saw Makoto putting plates for all four of them, and then cutting Ren pieces of his pizza. He turned towards Mrs Tachibana, his face softening under her warm gaze. “You have a truly remarkable son. I don’t honestly know how I’d manage the garden without him.”

“Makoto is very hard-working,” his mother said as she sat down and reached for her plate, making Makoto’s cheeks flush from embarrassment. “He always has been. I’m sure he’s going to become great at anything he wants to accomplish.”

They dinner went on with cheerful chatter, and afterwards Makoto felt refreshed and ready to continue working. Hi bid goodbye to his mother and brother, and then followed Sasabe back inside the greenhouse.

That night, Makoto saw an exceptionally vivid dream. He was laying outside in an open field, his eyes casted to the black sky filled with stars. There was a sweet scent of flowers in the air, and listening to the soft buzzling of nature around him made his mind completely at ease. The soft grass tickled his bare feet, but he didn’t bother sitting up. The bright stars were too enthralling, the atmosphere too serene for any quick movements.

And then, a beam of light had blinded him. Makoto had bolted up, shielding his eyes with his left arm as he’d tried to spot the source of the sudden brightness. Only then had he noticed the ground around was filled with blue columbines, painting the entire field to resemble a raging ocean.

Only when the light began to dim did Makoto notice it was coming from the middle of the field. He jumped to his feet, his heart thumping loudly in his chest as he sprinted forward, wanting to catch the strange light before it would disappear for good.

He was panting heavily, his muscles burning when he reached the spot where the light had sprouted from. As he caught his breath, it was once again stolen from his lungs when he noticed one of the columbines glowing and vibrating slightly.

Makoto reached his hand towards the fragile petals, but he was too late. It was as if the flower had sensed someone was about to touch it, as the dimming light it had been reflecting suddenly all burst out, the shockwave making Makoto fall backwards to the ground.

Before he had any time to react to the impact at all, the flower had absorbed back all the light, leaving behind only the faint glow of the moonless night. Makoto gasped as his back hit the ground, his chest heaving hard when jolts of pain travelled up his spine.

He grimaced when he struggled to sit up, supporting himself on his elbows while breathing through his nose. But once his eyes fell to the spot where the beaming flower had been just mere seconds ago, his eyes widened in shock, and he momentarily forgot the pain throbbing in his body.

Instead of a flower, there was now a boy laying on the grass. In the darkness of the night it was hard to make out any distinguishing features, but Makoto felt his cheeks heat up when he realised the boy was  _ naked _ .

It was as if Makoto’s feet had a mind of their own, slowly carrying him closer to the boy. Only when he was kneeling right beside the boy did he snap out of his trance, his hands weirdly sweaty and breathing frantic as his eyes were glued to the boy’s face.

He had a milky white skin devoid of any wrinkles or marks, his eyes closed, long eyelashes fluttering in the light breeze. His short black hair was resting on his face, framing his features in an inexplicably mesmerizing way. There was certain serenity to him Makoto couldn’t quite grasp, and he found himself unable to look away.

He kept his eyes firmly on the boy’s face. His hands were itching to touch the raven locks, to see if the hair was truly as soft as it looked. But just when he had gathered enough courage to lift his hand closer towards the spotless forehead, the boy opened his eyes.

The shock Makoto received when his eyes locked with the blueness matching the columbines around them was not an ounce weaker than when the beam of light had hit him straight to the chest. He could just barely see the boy’s face scrunch up in confusion before he woke up, bolting out of his bed as if someone had struck him with a blazing iron bar.

The dreams didn’t end there. For the next couple of weeks, he saw the exact same dream every night. And every night, he woke up right after the boy had opened his eyes. And every night, he felt more and more drawn towards the mystery the boy emitted.

It reached a point where Makoto was unable to keep the boy out of his mind even during daytime. He worked at the greenhouse every other day, and watched the seedlings he’d planted grow one by one, but all he was able to rejoice in was the promise of seeing the mysterious boy in his dreams. Only when the columbines showed their first blossoms did Makoto stop, fascinated by how similar their colour was to the boy’s eyes.

The summer break was fast approaching its end, and schools were about to begin. Sasabe had practically left the greenhouse to Makoto’s care until he had to return to his studies, for which Makoto was more than happy to comply.

It was one of the last days when he was at the greenhouse that Makoto saw the boy for real.

He had struggled a great minute opening the door to the greenhouse while balancing two heavy flower pots and a sack of soil in his arms, nearly dropping it all to the ground when he’d seen the skinny boy leaning over the blue flowers Makoto had grown so fond of these past days. Some twisted part of his brain took notice of how the boy was wearing plain white shirt and trousers, sending a twinge of disappointment to his heart Makoto was more than willing to cast aside and forget.

“You…!”

The boy tilted his head and stood up, curiosity sparkling behind his blue eyes. Makoto flushed as he struggled to find words to describe the utter disbelief swirling inside of him, caused by the boy he was certain he’d been dreaming of for the past month or so, now standing right before his eyes.

And then his eyes locked with the boy’s, and it felt like he was back in the dream. Only this time, he didn’t wake up after drowning in the depths of the striking blueness that met his eyes.

“Who are you?” The question left his mouth before Makoto could give it much thought. He swallowed, cursing his brains for not functioning properly. If his mother was seeing him being this impolite, she would surely wither from disappointment.

The boy seemed unfazed by Makoto’s bluntness. His eyes were fixated on him, making the taller boy’s heart jolt in his chest by the sheer intensity of the gaze. Surrounded by all the vibrant plants of the greenhouse, Makoto couldn’t help but think that the boy was unbelievably beautiful.

After a long while, the boy seemed to remember Makoto had asked him a question, giving him a one word answer: “Haru.”

“You’re Haru?” Makoto felt his cheeks burn by the stupidity of the question, but the boy nodded, once again as if Makoto wasn’t making a fool of himself.

“Uhm…” the awkwardness was like a deafening weight crushing Makoto’s lungs, making him unable to think coherently. He chose to close his eyes once he found himself lost in staring at Haru, and to his delight found the darkness clearing his head, even if only for a bit. 

“I'm Makoto, nice to meet you!” he offered his hand to Haru, or at least he thought he was; in the end, his hand hit something hard and firm, making him yelp and shot his eyes open. He saw his hand pressed against Haru’s abdomen, the boy having crept closer without making a sound. Makoto yanked his hand away as if it had been burned, sputtering a ray of  _ sorries  _ as he felt his cheeks flame up, for which Haru only scoffed. 

“No need to apologize,” Haru stated in a calm and slightly irritated tone. Makoto rubbed his neck sheepishly, shutting his mouth immediately once he saw the other boy speaking, the final  _ I'm sorry _ just barely not slipping out between his lips. 

There was a moment of silence where Makoto tried his best to sort out his thoughts. He was certain Haru was the one he had dreamed of, but he had no idea how to ask the boy to confirm this without coming off as a creepy lunatic. He was saved from talking, however, when Haru turned towards the flowers, a questioning look in his face. 

“Were you the one who planted these?”

Makoto was taken aback by the sudden question. He let his eyes drop to the columbines, a soft smile spreading to his face. “Yes, it was me. Uncle Sasabe bought the seeds, though, and helped me a bit. But I've been the one taking care of them.”

He lifted his eyes off the blue petals, startling when he saw Haru’s blue eyes already staring at him. Makoto’s breath hitched in his throat, his heart thumping in his chest as he was locked in place by the sheer force of the gaze directed at him. He swallowed, lost in the eyes that reflected the sea of columbines around them.

“I’m sorry if this sounds rude… but who are you?” Makoto 

The way Haru’s nose scrunched in confusion was so cute Makoto had to bite his tongue to prevent himself from squealing aloud. Haru didn’t seem to notice his struggle, but threw him a look that clearly questioned his intelligence. “Haru. I already told you.”

The chuckle escaped through Makoto’s pursed lips before he could do anything. He shook his head and took a step closer to the boy. “I know. But how come you’re here? Where did you come from?”

There was a puzzled look on Haru’s face, and he returned his attention to the flowers. Makoto’s eyes followed his slender fingers as they reached towards the blossoms, gently caressing the blue petals as if afraid they would crush if handled too harshly.

“I’ve seen you before.” Haru’s voice was barely above whisper, and Makoto nearly missed the words. It took a while for them to register, and even longer for him to react. When he did, Haru had already taken a few steps away from him, letting his fingers touch every flower he could reach along the way.

“You - you’ve seen the dreams too?” Makoto’s stomach flipped when a sudden burst of heat exploded inside him. If Haru had seen the same dream, wouldn’t that mean they were destined to meet?

Excited, Makoto once again closed the distance between them, his hand grabbing Haru by the wrist. The boy’s eyes widened, and his body stilled. Makoto stared at his face intently, annoyed at the black locks that were hiding his blue eyes from him. He reached out to brush them away, his hands shaking when he felt that  _ yes _ , they were just as soft as they looked.

“I came for you,” Haru turned around, the weight of his words turning Makoto’s knees into jelly. He swallowed audibly, but Haru continued on before Makoto could utter a word. “I’m a spirit. You called for me and I came.”

“I did?” Makoto had no memory of ever calling for the other boy. “But how?”

Haru shook his head, indicating that he didn’t know either. “Doesn’t matter. I’ve been sleeping for so long, I’m glad you woke me up.”

Makoto tried to hide the blush that spread down his face by letting go of Haru’s face and rubbing his neck, but he wasn’t sure if he succeeded or not. It didn’t matter, though, as Haru was considerate enough to not point it out.

“What kind of a spirit are you?” Makoto decided it would be best to not question Haru’s words. After all, he had seen him in a dream, and if that wasn’t a sign of something greater, he didn’t know what would be.

The sky outside the greenhouse had turned dark, grey clouds blocking the sun with the premise of rain within them. Haru cast his eyes upwards, and Makoto got to admire his slender and pale neck. It was as if the boy was carved from marble—Makoto had never seen anyone as eye-catching and intriguing as him. The thought made him shiver, which in turn had Haru turning to look at him with a worried look on his face.

“Are you cold?”

Makoto shook his head. “It’s quite warm in here. But you didn’t answer my question.”

Haru flicked his tongue as if annoyed by Makoto, but answered him nevertheless. “I’m not a fancy spirit or anything. I just am. I like to be free.”

“A free spirit, huh?” Makoto smirked, and nearly bursted out laughing when he saw Haru’s face turning up with distaste. He instantly wanted to tease him further, but was afraid of annoying him to the point of disappearing. “But anyways, you said you came for me? What does that mean?”

Makoto was almost certain he heard Haru mutter a soft  _ dummy _ under his breath before answering, and the insult made him feel oddly warm inside. “Of course, I’m going to be with you.”

All the words Makoto had wanted to say died in his throat. His eyes widened in surprise, his heart jolting in his chest when he let Haru’s words play over and over again in his head. His face must have shown his emotions, as Haru smacked the back of his head softly.

“Ah, I see,” Makoto chuckled, suddenly feeling light. He clutched onto Haru, barely able to contain the happiness flooding inside his chest. “So does that mean you are my free spirit now? Can I call you that? Or would you prefer  _ Haru-chan _ ?”

A lightest pink spread to Haru’s cheeks, and Makoto’s smile widened when he noticed it. He had never found such joy in teasing someone before, and found the feeling quite addicting. But just when he was about to open his mouth, Haru fixed his eyes on him, and Makoto momentarily forgot how to breathe.

Haru’s brows were furrowed, every word coming out of his mouth pressed heavily as if he was trying to make his point as clear as possible to the other boy. “You’re only allowed to call me Haru.”

Makoto opened his mouth, but was stopped when a sudden noise of a car door slamming shut came from outside. Makoto turned to look at the door, and saw Sasabe walking towards the greenhouse. He panicked, pulling Haru behind him to prevent his old coach from seeing him.

“You’re not supposed to be in here,” Makoto whispered, his nails digging to Haru’s shoulders. The boy gave him an unamused look, but stayed still. Makoto gave him a pointed look, and Haru’s lips curved up slightly.

“I’ll leave,” he said, but there was a glint in his eyes that made Makoto’s breath hitch in his throat. He released the boy from his grip, feeling apologetic when he noticed Haru rubbing the spots his hands had been pressing onto.

The door to the greenhouse opened behind them. Makoto’s face flushed red, but Haru showed no signs of leaving. Instead, he was leisurely leaning against the table, his blue eyes observing Makoto from underneath his long lashes. The picture he painted was breathtakingly beautiful, and it managed to turn Makoto’s brain into mush for a long second.

“I’m back!” Sasabe shouted, and Makoto was snapped back to reality. His shoulders tensed and he didn’t dare to turn around, but instead tried to hide Haru behind his broad shoulders. Sasabe seemed to notice there was something weird going on, as he stopped on his track.

“Is there something wrong?”

“No - nothing at all!” Makoto squeaked, giving Haru a pleading look, trying to subtly hint for him to hide behind the table. But the boy pretended he didn’t understand him, tilting his head in feigned confusion, making Makoto’s heart bleed with desperation.

“I brought some steamed buns, I thought you’d be hungry by now,” Sasabe’s voice was getting closer, but Makoto didn’t notice at all, for he was busy having a silent conversation with Haru, who seemed to find the whole situation too amusing. Just when Makoto was ready to push the boy down to hide underneath the table, Sasabe had reached him, and Haru slipped from behind Makoto before he had any time to react.

“Oh,” Sasabe stopped, and Makoto closed his eyes to light a candle for his soul. His former coach had frozen for a moment, but was quick to gain back his composure. He laughed loudly, and Makoto turned around slowly, forcing a smile to his face. “I didn’t know you had a friend with you!”

“Ah, Sasabe, this is Haru, Haru, Sasabe. He’s my former swimming instructor, this is his greenhouse. I’m helping him this summer,” Makoto babbled on, his face resembling a tomato as he struggled through his words. There was a knowing look on Sasabe’s face, which only made Makoto stutter more.

“Nice to meet you,” Haru said, his voice sweet and eyes gleaming as he offered his hand to Sasabe. The man looked elated by his manners, and Makoto squirmed in his place when he watched the two shaking hands in front of him.

“I didn’t interrupt anything, did I?”

“Not at all -”

“Ah, but I’ll be going then,” Makoto was cut off by Sasabe who still had his eyes on Haru, making the boy feel completely ignored. “I’ll leave the buns to you.”

He turned to leave, but patted Makoto on the back and gave him a wink before leaving, which made shivers run up and down Makoto’s body.

“Haruu,” Makoto whined the second after Sasabe had closed the door, his tone dripping with exasperation. “Didn’t you say you’d leave!? Then what was that!”

Haru chuckled, and the sound made Makoto forget what he had been thinking about. The laughter was filled with amusement, ringing inside the greenhouse like a refreshing spell, enchanting Makoto to the point of being completely flustered.

“Did I really say that?” Haru asked innocently, and Makoto felt slight frustration that didn’t really reach his heart. Haru shrugged. “Anyways, I didn’t mean I’d leave  _ immediately _ .”

“You’re impossible!”

Haru’s face split into a smile, and Makoto couldn’t help but reflect it back to him. He didn’t yet quite understand all the emotions that were swirling inside him, but what he knew for sure was Haru was someone important, someone who would leave a greater impact on him. On some funny way, it felt like he already had.

“Will you be here tomorrow?” Haru’s voice had a hint of hesitation in it, and Makoto’s features softened. It seemed that the other was afraid they wouldn’t see each other again, and the thought made his heart warm up.

“Yes, around the same time as today,” he said, feeling immensely satisfied when he saw Haru’s lips curl up for a split second. “Will you be waiting for me?”

Haru didn’t answer, but instead reached out and plucked out one of the columbines, bringing it to his lips and kissing it briefly before offering it to Makoto. “Here, have this.”

Makoto thanked him, puzzled as to why Haru would give it to him. The boy noticed his confusion, and stepped closer to him with playfulness behind his deep eyes. “I made it so it will never wither as long as I’m alive. Whenever you need me, just ask the flower. It is a gate between this world and mine. I’ll come no matter when you’ll ask, so don’t hesitate to use it.”

There was a lump in Makoto’s throat, but he swallowed it before grinning widely, his head slightly dizzy when he stared at Haru. “It’s beautiful. I’ll be sure to use it whenever I need you.”

“Good.”

And then, Haru leaned closer to Makoto. The other boy was significantly taller, and Haru had to stand on his toes as he brought his face closer to his, and pressed the lightest of kisses to his cheek. The spot where his lips made contact with Makoto’s skin tingled, heat radiating up his face until he was flushed red.

“We’ll see tomorrow,” Haru whispered to Makoto’s ear, and let go of him. When Makoto opened his eyes, the boy had already gone. The only trace he left behind was the flower still pressed in Makoto’s hand, the prove that he hadn’t imagined the whole thing.

As Makoto went to bed that night, he spend a good while staring at the blue columbine he had put to a vase on his night table. His mind was filled with images of Haru, and soon enough he drifted off to a dream filled with the blue eyed boy.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this!!
> 
> I have a mess of a [tumblr](https://lonesome-writer.tumblr.com/) if anyone is interested ^^


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